


An Exert From the Plague

by ErenLalonde



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Angst, Child Death, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Medical, Original Character(s), POV Third Person, Red Plague (The Arcana)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-05
Updated: 2020-02-05
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:47:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22575787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ErenLalonde/pseuds/ErenLalonde
Summary: Clinics in the Red Plague are no stranger to overpopulation and even between the two doctors its a lot of work. Unfortunately the plague rests for no one, and it does not discriminate in who it infects.
Relationships: Apprentice/Julian Devorak, Julian Devorak/Original Character(s), Julian Devorak/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 22





	An Exert From the Plague

**Author's Note:**

> Ah hello, I just wanted to write a little piece that wouldn't leave me last night. You don't need to know much about my fan apprentice Celica Nightingale for this, but I do reference some of my theories about the plague but its only subtle.

She rapted gently on the wall as she pushed back the curtain. 

“Dr. Devorak do you need me to change the patients leeches? You seem… busy.” 

He looked up frantically as he grabbed another bucket for the patient he was currently looking at as they retched up more blood. Julian only offered a comforting hand on their back as they awkwardly looked up and waved at their new visitor. The red of their sclera glossy from sickness and the bruised veins around their swollen cheekbones stood out against pale skin. 

“Uh, yeah that would be good, if you don’t mind, Dr. Nightingale,” He fished around in his pockets for the key for his leech collection and tossed it at her, which she stumbled to catch, before returning back to his patient. 

Closing the curtain again to at least give a modicum of privacy in their overfilled clinic she went to the large cabinet in the center of the building. Unlocking and throwing open the oak doors revealing the rows of bottles. Each bottle filled with water and when taking a closer look each contained a fat well loved leech. Every single one of them was labelled with indescribable scribbles that the doctor  _ insisted _ was for category purposes, but she honestly could hardly make out any letters, she had even once found a bottle whose label changed language halfway through. 

She grabbed a sufficient number of leeches for each patient per his measurements and the small flint and tinder also locked up and set out. The process of gently lighting the flame under the parasite to loosen their grip, pluck them off the patients, clean the bite marks, and place a new leech on the opposite side of their limb to prevent excessive bruising. Rinse and repeat, most of the patients were too far gone in their fevers to even notice her.

By time she had gotten to the last patient, a small boy no older than eight, on the rotation the flint refused to work with her. 

“Damn it.” 

“That’s a bad word,” the kids voice startled her as he peered up under the blanket with his foot hanging off the bed in her delicate hands. Bloody red sclera contrasting the young and innocent face staring at her in concern. 

She forced a smile, “You’re right, I’m sorry,” she still fought with the flint as it struggled to ignite. “I’m going to need you to be very still for me, can you do that?” 

He gave a weak nod in response as he stared in curiosity. She snapped her fingers together as she focused her magic;  _ heat, the color of fire, a candle’s wick, just small enough to warm but not enough to burn _ . A small orange flame summoned itself above her pointer finger and she immediately felt the kids foot jump out of her hand.

“What is that?” Even a raspy disease couldn’t hide the childlike wonder that shined in his voice. Big red eyes staring not in concern but curiosity as he watched the way the above her hand. 

She couldn’t hide her smile, Julian normally looked down at her using her magic in front of patients and she didn’t relish the older patients accusing her of witchery, but children were different. “It’s magic,” lifting her hand closer to the kid as she focused on the flame. Shifting its color from pale orange to a shifting kaleidoscope in front of them. 

He shot up with a hanging jaw as a weak arm grabbed her gloved wrist to look at it closer. “That’s so cool! How does it work? Why is it doing that?” She opened her palm and let the flame grow larger to let him get a closer look at the shifting colors. 

“I can change it by focusing very hard on what I want it to look like,” she clenched her fist to snuff it out and the immediate look of disappointment that crossed the child’s face was equal parts comical and heart wrenching. Only returning the utilitarian flame as she went back down to fat leeches on the child's leg that were growing lazy.

She plucked them off and resumed her routine as the kid watched her in wonder, “Can I learn how to do that?” A soft question passed them as she packed up the materials and stood up to leave.

She felt her heart leapt up in her throat.  _ No you can’t, it's not worth learning, you won’t ever get the chance to learn _ . “Sure, just about anyone can, but only really talented people can be a magician.”

A gasp, “You’re a magician?! Really?” His glassy red eyes filled with wonder, filled with joy. “What else can you do?” 

She laughed and took a seat on the bed next to him with her palms open facing him, “Give me your hands,” He enthusiastically threw two small boney hands into her open palms, the dark red of rotting blood and ruined veins in his hands contrasting the black of her gloves. She closed the child’s hands together in a fist and brought them up to lips. She placed a soft whisper of a spell into awaiting hands;  _ Lights, dazzling, animals and starry nights, sights you can only see in dreams.  _ Pulling them away the small glow of lights captured in the kids closed fist she held it close to his chest.

“Hold it close to your heart and think of your most amazing dream,” she covered his eyes, “and then open your hands.”

He paused as he contemplated his dreams out loud in mumbles before he was finally satisfied with his decision. Throwing his hands open allowing the rainbow of streaming colors to reveal themself that she crafted. She feigned shock at the sight before her as the kid stared in wonder at the illusion, “look at you!”

“I’m doing this?” A wide smile filled his diseased eyes with joy. Moving his hands along the same patterns of the ribbons of light like he could control it.

“Yes sir, already halfway there to being a magician yourself!” She clapped and excused herself, lifting the sterile white curtain as she left him alone with the lights. 

* * *

Julian ran a hand through his thick auburn hair as he walked through the rows of curtains. Yes he told Celica she could change the leeches herself but he still wanted to make sure everyone was okay and everything was done correctly. It would be the only way to relax his racing mind. 

Only to pause when he saw one curtain at the end of row barely hiding a miniature light show. 

“Yes sir, already halfway there to being a magician yourself!” He heard his coworker’s voice call out as she stepped out from the curtain. Pausing in her steps as she raised a gloved hand to cover a choking sob that he saw begin to retch through her body as she froze. 

Desperately he caught up with her and placed a calming hand on her shoulder, only staring up at him in horror in her pale eyes. As he soothed her wrecking shakes he gently peeled back the curtain to glance in the light show and see which patient was occupying the room. Reaching out to grab the clipboard inside the child didn’t even notice his reach as he stared in wonder at the magic.

_ Bennett Pachis, age eight, arrived at the clinic five days ago. _


End file.
